Things that Should have been
by Megan Faye
Summary: What should be" and "What is" aren't always the same thing.


Title: The Things that Never would Be

Rated: PG

Author: Megan Faye

Disclaimer: I don't own.

A/N: I was just sitting at my computer, thinking, what should have happened at the end of this season didn't happen. Amber should have lived. She was so good for Wilson.

However, what should be and what is aren't always the same thing.

* * *

_Wilson looked at the glossy stone and wondered what could have been. No, what should have been. Not even 30 years old, and her life was over._

_She should have had more time._

* * *

"Amber," James would whisper nervously. "You...are so...I love...everything about you."

"Even my annoying habit of waking you up at 3:00 when I have to pee?"

"Almost everything. Can I finish?"

"Sure," she'd say, smiling and taking a sip of her wine. She'd probably be wearing her red dress; it always looked fantastic on her. "Finish."

"I'm not the best at this, and failed a few times before, but I love you, and I want to marry you." She would probably set her glass down and stare at him. She'd contain her excitement, because she'd be scared as hell. "I'm not asking because I don't want to lose you, like with my first wives. I'm asking because I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Are you sure?" she'd whisper. James would take her hand and look into her eyes.

"Even if the answer is 'No,' you'll have me forever, because I love you. I respect you, and I want us to be together."

"If you ever cheat, I will not forgive you."

"Amber," he'd say gently. "I will never cheat on you, I promise."

"Then yes," she'd say smiling. James would kiss her over the table, and accidentally set the desert menu on fire, but they would laugh about it later.

She would look like an angel in her white dress. Her parents would be there, his brother would come. Even House would be there, with Cuddy holding his leash. James would be thrilled to see Cameron and Chase; they weren't at PPTH too much; too busy with their baby, and Cameron, who'd kept her last name, would still be on maternity leave.

There would be white roses, and pink. Amber wasn't fond of the color, personally, but it looked so nice with everything they'd picked for the wedding, that she'd requested it.

Their vowes would be simple, and elegant, like their wedding. The reception would be fun and exciting. House would be banned from the bar less than an hour in, and yanked out by Cuddy less than 3 hours into the party. But Amber and James wouldn't notice too much; they were busy talking very quietly about how much they loved each other, and how happy they were to see everyone.

About 2 years after the wedding, James would come home to find his beautiful wife crying.

"Amber?"

"I'm pregnant!" she'd wail. She'd bury her face in his neck and cry while he hugged her tightly.

"I can't believe it! Dr. Rollins said we couldn't-"

"He's a moron, Jimmy," she'd sob. "I am 10 weeks along." He'd hug her tightly and feel her smile through her tears. "I can't stop crying." She'd pull away and see he, too, was crying.

"Hi, baby," he'd say to her belly. "I'm your daddy!"

She'd insist on a new car for herself. Her 1992 Hatchback Coupe wouldn't fit a car seat. Hell, it probably wouldn't even fit the current stroller models. They'd visit 8 dealerships, test drive 16 different sedans, SUV's, and finally, a minivan, after a lot of talking.

"I'm not driving that."

"Okay. I'll drive it."

"We're not that 'suburban!' We don't need a minivan."

"You want Chevy Suburban?" the dealer would interject.

"No!" They'd say at the same time. Amber would rest her hand over the baby as he or she'd kick

"Its just a style of car, sweetie. Look, you can put any type of car seat in here, the stroller you like would fit here with room enough for groceries, the diaper bag-"

"And still have room for the entire cast of E. R." Sigh.

"Amber, its just a van," James would say. "I'll put an iDock in it for you, and I'll do most of the driving. I promise."

"I am Not a soccer mom." She'd point at his chest as she'd say this.

"She won't be in soccer; she'll be in science club, like we were."

"I wasn't in science club, Jimmy. I was on the girl's field hockey team."

"We'll need another minute," he'd tell the salesman.

The baby would have big brown eyes, but still look like Amber. He'd be her Little Man. Not a mama's boy, per-say, but her child in every way. Russell James Wilson would be a smart, funny little boy, who could make his dad smile, even after the worst days at work. Rusty, as they'd call him, would be his dad's best buddy when Mommy wasn't looking.

Rusty would go to work with his parents as soon as he was old enough; 4 to go to Mommy's work, and 6 to go to Daddy's. Mom rarely dealt with dying children, and didn't deal much with clinic patients. Her job was mostly diagnostics at her own hospital, Trenton General. When Rusty would be about 4, they'd start trying again for a baby.

When Rusty would be about 6, they'd finally have their second child, a little girl, named Jade Anne. James would like that his wife and children were...colorful.

Rusty would have his father's eye-color, but he'd look just like Amber. Jade would be the opposite. He'd be a little Mini-Jimmy, with green eyes. There would be no question who's daughter she was.

And they would be happy.

There would be trouble with Rusty in high school; a science experiment gone wrong and a suspension for accidentally burning the eye-brows off another student. Jade would be the good student; into sports the way Amber was.

But Amber, she would be the star of the show. She would give her children the attention that she never had growing up. She would teach them that winning is important, but so is losing, and how you do each. She would teach them that its more important to try than to win. Amber would be his soul mate; calling him at the office to tell him she'd wait up for him on a late night, when its exactly what he needed to hear. She'd even have House bring him dinner.

The real surprise to James would be how little he noticed other women! His previous wives were lovely women, but the nurses, women at coffee shops; they were beautiful. But Amber; none of them even registered to him now. She was everything to him. Everything.

* * *

_James could see this life so clearly; no terrible tragedy, aside from dealing with teenager's antics. She'd be so beautiful, watching their children grow up and get married._

_But she'd never see it, because of a damn flu pill._

_And, as if all the air had been sucked from the cemetary, James realized that even in his line of work; he'd never thought of 14 as mid-life before._


End file.
